Spiral water circulating furnace extension



June 2, 1964 Filed May 8, 1961 a. E. CORBETT 3,135,248

SPIRAL WATER CIRCULATING FURNACE EXTENSION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

GEORGE E. CORBETT June 2, 1964 G. E. CORBETT' 3,135,248

SPIRAL WATER CI'RCULATING FURNACE EXTENSION Filed May a, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG? HH\ u z //J M 4 Zx///'// g,

5a 'INVENTOR:

GEQRGE E. CORBETT ATT'Y June 2, 1964 G. E. CORBETT SPIRAL WATER CIRCULATING FURNACE EXTENSION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 8, 1961 "Illi- 52 54 FIG. 5

INVENTOR: GEORGEE. CURBETT United States Patent This invention relates to a device for increasing the transfer of heat from the fire side to the water side at the primary source of a fuel heater and thereby amplifying the capacity of a steam or hot water boiler.

This invention is more particularly described as an amplified water heater using a spiral circulating system of water within the boiler amplifier which is connected to the boiler so that an increased amount of water from the boiler will be circulated and supplied to the boiler.

An important object of the invention is therefore to provide an increased fiow of water which passes through the heater and is returned or supplied to the boiler at a much higher temperature.

A further object of the invention is to retain the circulating water within the amplifier at a longer time because of the further travel induced by the spiral deflection plates directing the flow.

A further object of the invention is to increase the amount of fuel that can be properly burned in a larger combustion area, thus increasing the efficiency of the fuel burner and the boiler.

'Still a further object of the invention is to increase the effective boiler heating surface by a spiral circulating water heater, thus increasing the capacity of the boiler in terms of the size of the heater and amplifying the boiler and increasing the efliciency of its heating.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be 'more apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a boiler with an amplifying fire box and feeder in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation with some parts broken away of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the jacket surrounding the fire box and showing deflection plates of the spiral water circulator.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing the details of the deflection plates.

In this construction, with the addition of a spiral circulating water heater, the capacity of the boiler is increased in two ways: first, a larger fuel burner may be employed with complete and proper combustion taking place; and second, the transfer of heat into the water boiler by an increased heating surface from a spiral forced water circulation in the amplifier, causes a corresponding circulation of the water in the boiler proper, thereby resulting in a greater over-all output and greater efficiency for the entire boiler installation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a fire box boiler 10 of a well known type is shown in FIG. 1 having a front smoke box 12 and a'breaching or chimney 14 leading therefrom. A lateral feed pipe 16 discharges hot water into the steam space of the boiler approximately at an upper water level 18.

At the lower rear end of the boiler is a return feed heater 19 with pipes 21 and 23 where the condensate return is mixed with make-up Water to feed the boiler as required. This water travels through the water legs to- 3,135,248 Patented June 2, 1964 ice ward the front. of the boiler and is connected with two feed water pumps 40 and 42 which direct the flow of water through inlet pipes 36 and 38 as hereafter described.

At the front of the boiler as also shown in FIG.'2 is a gas or oil combination type of fuel burner 22 with the fuel and air mixed under a well known type of automatically pressurized and control conditions for modulated operation not a part of this invention. This particular boiler installation is set up in a depression or pit 24 extending below the floor level with a fuel burner bolted or oth'erwis'efastened to a spiral circulating watercooled furnace extension housing 26 containingvarious parts which make up the constructionof the present invention.

A flame 28 from the fuel burner is ejected through a circular opening 30 cut in the lower front end of the boiler, and after passing through the furnace extension housing inner wall 32, which is spaced from the outer wall of the housing containing orconstituting a material part of this invention. This water jacket formed by the housing has a closing ring at the front end adjacent the burner 22 and at the rear of the furnace extension under the front of the boiler 10.

At the sides of the heater are the two 'feed water pumps 40 and 42 for directing the flow of water through the tangential inlet pipes 36 into the extension jacket, one of the pipes being at the top of the housing, and one at the bottom of the housing for causing a sure and rapid flow of water through the jacket which will pick up heat generated by the fuel burner and transmit the water of higher temperature through the tangential header 44 and in the piping 16 connected thereto and feeding into the boiler at the water level where the high temperature water will burst into steam. This header 44 makes a tangential connection with the jacket to the housing and is of a capacity suflicient to receive the water supplied by both pipes 36 and 38.

Should one of the feed water pumps 40 or 42 stop or be stopped for any reason, suflicient water will be admitted into the jacket housing 26 so that no damage or costly repairs will be required in the furnace extension.

Also if each pump piping is properly valved in accordance with well known practices, an inoperative pump may be removed for repairs without shutting off or draining the boiler.

The water jacket housing as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is spirally divided by a number of deflection plates or flights 46 and 48, disposed'between the inner Wall 32 and the outer shell 36 between the two closing end rings 34. These flights form passageways pertinent to the present invention. The first deflection plate of each series is centered directly in front of each of the tangential inlets of the feed pipes 36 and 38. In this way, the passage on each side of the flight is assured of feed water should one of the feed pumps be inoperative, as feed water is admitted on both sides of each flight.

Dividing flights 46 start at a point near the top of housing and extend therefrom spirally and radially to point near the bottom, the flight being properly spaced apart extend spirally and terminate somewhat short of the final flight at the back end of the water jacket because the water of higher temperature must make its way into the header 44.

These flights are preferably made of steel straps welded at the inner edges to the inner wall 32 in the spiral directions as shown. End portions 50 of the flights extend entirely across the jacket from the inner wall 32 to the outer shell of the housing. Intermediate portions 52 of the flights extending about one-third of the extent of each flight has a free area 54 next to the outer shell so that the circulating water may pass from one passageway to another or may spill over the adjacent flight if required for free passage.

At the front lower portion of the heater jacket or housing 26, and preferably in the pit 24 is an obstructed water blowoif 58, having a valve or closure at'the front. This may be opened to vent the housing 26 and to clean out or discharge dirty water. and sediment from the jacket or housing 26. With this construction, the feed water is received at the top and bottom of the jacket housing 26 through the feed pipes 36 and 38 and their separate pumps, the water is circulated spirally from the inlet pipes at the front to the rear to completely fill the comparatively shell passages between the flights and to circulate the Water toward the rear header 44. A tremendous amount of heat is transferred from the primary-source of the burning fuel through the inner shell 32 of the water jacket and conveying the high temperature water which is heated by the burning fuel and changed into high temperature water which flows through the header 44 into the steam space of the boiler. Although this invention is described in some detail, it should be regarded as an illustration or example rather than as a limitation or restriction of the invention, since various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An oil burning extension fora boiler having a fire box at one end, the extension comprising an outer hollow housing projection adapted to open into the front of the fire box and comprising a surrounding horizontal cylindrical water cooling jacket in the outer hollow housing projections, a burner for throwing flame within the hous ing and into the fire box, the jacket having inner and outer walls, deflection plates secured between the walls forming adjacent spiral passages from the top and bottom of the outer front end and extending continuously to the rear end of the jacket, means forming water inlets at the outer end of the top and bottom of the front of said jacket leading to the outer ends of said spiral passages causing the flow of the water in the same directions in said spiral passages from the front to therear end of the jacket, and a hot water header connected to the rear end of the jacket and adapted to extend from the rear end of the jacket to the boiler.

2. A water circulation extension jacket for boilers accor-ding to claim 1, in which the plates are of flat metal spaced apart'and each plate having end portions which extend between the inner and outer walls of the jacket and with. intermediate lower portions which terminate at a distance from the outer wall of the jacket to provide access between adjacent spiral passages.

3. A water circulation extension for boilers according to claim 1, in which said plates terminate at a distance from the ends thereof to provide a short peripheral space in the housing jacket at both ends, the said water inlets communicating tangentially with the top and bottom of said space at the outer front end to induce spiral movement in said passages, and the said header extends tangentially from said housing and from said peripheral space at the rear end of the housing jacket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN OIL BURNING EXTENSION FOR A BOILER HAVING A FIRE BOX AT ONE END, THE EXTENSION COMPRISING AN OUTER HOLLOW HOUSING PROJECTION ADAPTED TO OPEN INTO THE FRONT OF THE FIRE BOX AND COMPRISING A SURROUNDING HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL WATER COOLING JACKET IN THE OUTER HOLLOW HOUSING PROJECTIONS, A BURNER FOR THROWING FLAME WITHIN THE HOUSING AND INTO THE FIRE BOX, THE JACKET HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS, DEFLECTION PLATES SECURED BETWEEN THE WALLS FORMING ADJACENT SPIRAL PASSAGES FROM THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE OUTER FRONT END AND EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY TO THE REAR END OF THE JACKET, MEANS FORMING WATER INLETS AT THE OUTER END OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE FRONT OF SAID JACKET LEADING TO THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID SPIRAL PASSAGES CAUSING THE FLOW OF THE WATER IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS IN SAID SPIRAL PASSAGES FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR END OF THE JACKET, AND A HOT WATER HEADER CONNECTED TO THE REAR END OF THE JACKET AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND FROM THE REAR END OF THE JACKET TO THE BOILER. 